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Meghan McCain: My Father Is ‘So Depressed, So Down-Trodden’

attends "Raising McCain" Series New York Premiere at Tribeca Cinemas on September 12, 2013 in New York City.

Sen. John McCain, Meghan McCain and Jimmy McCain attend "Raising McCain" Series New York Premiere at Tribeca Cinemas on Sept. 12, 2013 in New York City. (credit: Laura Cavanaugh/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (CBSDC/AP) — The star of “Raising McCain” says her father is “depressed” over the current political state.

Meghan McCain blamed the Tea Party for Sen. John McCain’s frustration with government today.

“We’re both frustrated with the idea that only the hyper-conservative wing of the party is going to represent the masses,” Meghan McCain told ABC News/Yahoo! News in a recent interview. “Republicans are giving young people no reason to join their party right now.”

The senator’s daughter remarked that she hasn’t seen her father this “down-trodden” since after losing the 2008 presidential election to President Barack Obama.

“I’ve never heard him this depressed other than maybe after the ‘08 election,” she told ABC News/Yahoo! News. “He’s so depressed, so down-trodden. The way he’s talking about it, he’s never seen it this bad in his 30-plus years in office.”

Sen. McCain, R-Ariz., has clashed with members of the Tea Party since the conservative group came to prominence. McCain called Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a “wacko bird” and was vehemently against Sens. Ted Cruz and Mike Lee trying to use the government shutdown to take a stand against the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

“What did I say three weeks ago, what did I say a month ago, it was a fool’s errand,” the Arizona senator said following the end of the shutdown. “I knew that it was going to be a disaster and it is a disaster.”

McCain is considering running for a sixth term in 2016, the year he turns 80.

In an interview last week with radio station KFYI-AM in Phoenix, McCain said that he’s seriously giving a lot of thought to another bid for re-election.

Meghan McCain is hesitant about her father running again.

“My father has more energy than I do and I legitimately say that, so it’s not his age, it’s just the idea of having another dirty Tea Party election,” she said.

Sen. McCain says he’s getting encouragement from businesses that are upset with the recent partial government shutdown.

He has challenged Obama on foreign policy but has worked with Democrats on immigration legislation.